1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to conveyors for storing and moving items from a loading station to an unloading station and has particular reference to apparatus for controlling movement of such items along a conveyor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to fully utilize warehousing facilities or other storage areas and to facilitate loading and unloading of items stored therein, the items are commonly mounted on rows of inclined roller conveyors which may be spaced alongside each other and also located one above the other to effectively fill the warehouse or other storage facility. The conveyors for this purpose usually comprise a series of rollers rotatably supported between rails which are inclined downwardly from a loading station to an unloading station so that items, when placed on the conveyor at the loading station, will move downwardly by gravity toward the unloading station and will come to rest in a bunched condition, resting one against another.
The items may be either single articles or, in the case of relatively small items, such as bottled or canned goods, they may be packaged in cartons which are mounted on pallets which, in turn, are placed on the conveyor.
In order to reduce the possibility of damage to the items or packages as the result of one striking against another in their descent along the conveyor, braking or other movement control devices have been provided heretofore. Such devices, however, have not been entirely satisfactory. Some are complicated and expensive to manufacture and assemble. Others are not reliable and may malfunction due to wear or other causes, thereby resulting in breaking or damage to the goods.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for a conveyor of the above type which is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble.
Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor control apparatus which is highly reliable and which operates in a fail safe mode.
Another object is to provide a conveyor control apparatus which requires a minimum of energy for operation.
A further object is to provide a conveyor control apparatus which has few operating parts and which may be easily and readily mounted on existing conveyors.